Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are secondary housing units that can be attached or detached accessory structures associated with single or multifamily dwellings. ADUs are part of the solution to Santa Cruz County’s critical housing shortage and high housing costs.
Since 2016, state ADU laws have continued to evolve. Recent changes to state ADU law intend to address barriers, streamline approval, and expand potential capacity for ADUs, recognizing their unique importance in addressing California’s housing needs. Since the County’s local ADU regulations were last updated for consistency with state ADU laws in 2022, some of the local ADU regulations are superseded by more recent updates to state ADU law. While the County is in the process of updating its ADU regulations, the information on this website has been updated for consistency with more recent updates to state ADU law. More information on recent changes to State ADU law may be obtained by referring to the latest edition of the (with January 2026 Addendum).